Cattle stanchion having a simplified self-locking mechanism

Abstract

A multi-station cattle stanchion has a top rail with a trackway extending longitudinally of the stanchion in which the upper ends of a generally upright, J-shaped pivoting standard move laterally. A gravity operated locking bail is pivotally mounted at one end to the upper rail and includes an inclined tongue portion on the other end which extends into the path of the pivoting standard as it moves through the trackway. The tongue portion allows passage of the pivot standard in one direction, but blocks movement thereof in the other direction. A selectively activated lock disengaging plate may be moved by a master control rod into a position that lifts and holds the tongue portion out of the trackway.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. An improved locking mechanism for self-locking cattle stanchions of the type where each cattle station is defined by a stationary upright standard extending vertically between longitudinally extending upper and lower rails on one side of the cow's head and a generally upright swinging standard extending between the upper and lower rails on the other side of the cow's head, which swinging standard is automatically activated between a first inclined access position and a second upright locked position by the cow as its head is moved around when feeding, comprising: (a) said upper rail formed by a pair of spaced walls slidably receiving and restraining the upper end of said swinging standard therebetween;   (b) a locking bail means having one end thereof pivotally attached at a pivot point to said upper rail, the other end of said bail means having an inclined tongue portion extending down between said spaced walls at a point between the position of the upper end of said swinging standard in said first access position and said second locked position;   (c) said inclined tongue portion when in position between said walls, allowing movement of said swinging standard underneath said tongue portion in a direction away from said pivot point from said first to said second position, and wherein when said swinging standard is in said second position said tongue portion extends below the upper end of said swinging standard to block movement of said swinging standard from said second to said first position.   
     
     
       2. The locking mechanism according to claim 1 and further including a deactivating means for selectively holding said tongue portion of said bail means out from between said spaced walls, thereby permitting free movement of the upper end of said swinging standard in either direction. 
     
     
       3. The locking mechanism according to claim 2 wherein said deactivating means includes a support plate slidably positioned upon said upper rail for movement between a first position out of engagement with said bail and a second position supporting said tongue portion above the level of said spaced walls, and means for moving said support plate between said first and second position. 
     
     
       4. Self-locking cattle stanchions of the type having a series of individual cattle stations, said stanchions including: (a) horizontally extending top and bottom rails;   (b) said top rail comprising a pair of spaced walls extending substantially the length of the stanchion and mounted in parallel relationship to define a track having at least an open bottom;   (c) a plurality of horizontally spaced, first stationary standards extending vertically between said top and bottom rails;   (d) a plurality of second standards each positioned in horizontally spaced relationship with one of said first standards to define a cattle station therebetween, each of said second standards being pivotally mounted to said bottom rail and extending upwardly through said open bottom of said track, the upper ends of said second standards moving laterally in said track between an inclined open position angled upwardly away from said first stationary standard and a substantially vertical closed position whereby cattle are locked into the station;   (e) a locking means provided for each of said second standards, said locking means pivotally attached at a pivot point to said top rail and having one end portion thereof urged by gravity into a blocking position between said spaced walls; said end portion being momentarily movable from said blocking position within said track to a second position out of said track responsive to movement of said second standard in a direction away from said pivot point from said inclined open position to said vertical position;   (f) said end portion of said locking means, after said second standard is in said vertical position, extending below said upper end of said second standard to block movement of said second standard back to said inclined position.   
     
     
       5. A cattle stanchion according to claim 4 wherein each of said locking means includes a locking bail having one end thereof pivotally attached to said track, the other end thereof having an inclined tongue portion extending down between said spaced walls. 
     
     
       6. The cattle stanchion according to claim 5 and further including a control rod extending parallel to and attached to one of said spaced walls, means for moving said control rod between a first and second position, a lock deactivating means operatively connected to said control rod and extending across said track beneath each of said bails for supporting said locking bail in a first, deactivated position with said tongue outside of said track when said control rod is in said first position; said locking bail falling by gravity to a second activated position extending into said track when said deactivating means is removed from beneath said bail when said control rod is in said second position. 
     
     
       7. A cattle stanchion according to claim 6 wherein each of said lock deactivating means comprises a plate means attached to said control rod and extending laterally therefrom across the top of said track in a position operatively adjacent the corresponding one of said locking bails. 
     
     
       8. An improved pivot standard for self-locking cattle stanchions of the type where each cattle station is defined by a stationary upright standard extending vertically on one side of the cow's head between longitudinally extending upper and lower rails, said upper rail being formed by a pair of spaced side walls, and a generally upright swinging or pivot standard on the other side of the cow's head extending between the upper and lower rails, said improved pivot standard comprising a generally J-shaped bar rigidly pivotally attached at the curved portion thereof to said lower rails and with the longer upright extending upwardly to an upper end which is retained and laterally movable between said side walls, the majority of the weight of the pivot standard being counterbalanced in said longer upright whereby said standard is normally urged by gravity to the open position, the shorter upright thereof extending upwardly away from said stationary standard and forming a surface which will be adjacent a cow's neck and against which movement of the cow's neck will urge said longer upright to a substantially vertical position, and means on said upper rail for locking said longer upright in said vertical position. 
     
     
       9. The improved pivot standard according to claim 8 wherein said locking means comprises: (a) said upper rail formed by a pair of spaced walls slidably receiving and restraining the upper end of said swinging standard therebetween;   (b) a locking bail means having one end thereof pivotally attached to said upper rail, the other end of said bail means having an inclined tongue portion extending down between said spaced walls at a point between the position of the upper end of said swinging standard in said open position and said vertical position;   (c) said inclined tongue portion when in position between said walls, allowing movement of said swinging standard from said open to said vertical position, but preventing movement of said swinging standard from said vertical to said open position.